Unwelcome picnic "guest"

Editorially verified for the Sep 26, 2026

5 Down

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An ant crawling near food at an outdoor picnic.

Clue explained

An ANT is an unwelcome picnic guest because it may crawl onto food and belongings. The quotation marks around “guest” make the description playfully figurative.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 26, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Birth month for many Libras: Abbr.
  2. 4Tardy animal in "Alice in Wonderland"
  3. 10Animal from Down Under, for short
  4. 11Low tie score
  5. 12Comic-___
  6. 13Position
  7. 14Defense that might lead to exoneration
  8. 16Contracts that protect corporate secrets, in brief
  9. 17Loosen, as a knot
  10. 19Interest stat
  11. 212025 Nia DaCosta film based on a Henrik Ibsen play
  12. 24Fermented apple juice
  13. 26Profile ___
  14. 27Formalwear named after a New York village
  15. 28Campfire residue
  16. 29Word that's notoriously difficult to find a rhyme for
  17. 30Surface a Zamboni resurfaces
  18. 31Analyze, as a sentence
  19. 32Fishing tool

Down

  1. 1Killer whale
  2. 2"Be ___" ("Act casual")
  3. 3Morrison who wrote "Sula"
  4. 4Substance applied to violin bows
  5. 5Unwelcome picnic "guest"
  6. 6Brimless cap
  7. 7Package deal at a cat shelter (like the one depicted in this puzzle!)
  8. 8___ Trail (Peruvian hiking destination)
  9. 9Cannon "ammo" at sporting events
  10. 15Great hardships
  11. 18Pang, as of pain
  12. 19Honda's luxury line
  13. 20Studio behind "Coco," but not "Cocoon"
  14. 22Music genre associated with a glittering ball
  15. 23Had some post-Pilates pain, say
  16. 25Outermost part
  17. 27Uppermost part

The answer to “Unwelcome picnic "guest"” in the New York Times Midi crossword is ANT — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 26, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 5-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Unwelcome picnic "guest"” answer

ANT (3 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is ANT.

What does ANT mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of ANT is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a small insect typically having a sting and living in a complex social colony with one or more breeding queens. It is wingless except for fertile adults, which form large mating swarms, and is proverbial for its industriousness

When else has “Unwelcome picnic "guest"” appeared?

New York Times Midi reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

September 26, 2026 (most recent) → ANT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Unwelcome picnic "guest"”?

The answer is ANT, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Unwelcome picnic "guest"”?

3 letters: ANT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 26, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 5-Down.

Can “Unwelcome picnic "guest"” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Midi sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Midi answers?

The full grid for September 26, 2026 is on the NYT Midi answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

New York Times Midi Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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